Joint festival honors Turkish and American children

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt Gina McKeen
  • 39th Air Base Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Airmen and their families celebrated National Sovereignty and Children's Day with an all-day festival April 17 here.

The Turkish national holiday falls during the Month of the Military Child and gave American children a chance to experience Turkish culture, officials said. The event, hosted by members of the Turkish air force 10th Tanker Command, was open to all Incirlik personnel.

The festivities included performances from several music groups and entertainers, Taekwondo and gymnastics demonstrations and a magic show, as well as several booths and activities for guests to participate in. Before the performances began, Col. Deniz Kartepe, the commander of the10th Tanker Command, and Col. Chad Butts, the 39th Air Base Wing vice commander, presented awards to the winners of the art and poetry contest held in honor of Children's Day.

The theme of the contest was "Friendship and Peace," and it was open to both Turkish and American children here.

The winner for the younger division is:

1st Place: Elifsu Erdoan for her poem "Guzel Dunya"

The winners for the elder division are:

1st Place: Eren Soylu for his poem, "Barish Ve Sevgi"
2nd Place: Metehan Aras for his poem, "23 Nisan"
3rd Place: Gozde Jingoz for her poem, "Vazgechilmez Ikili"

Honorable mentions were: Atatkan Ozyer, Berkay Efe Karamanolu, Doa Altinok, Burjunir Ulker, Nisa Baji and Goktu Shenkal.

The winners of the art competition in the age 5 and 6 division are:

1st Place: Elif Ozyer
2nd Place: Irem Kanzak
3rd Place: Jemre Erel and Irem Chomalak

Honorable mention: Esma Zulanlanza Sezgin

The winners of the art competition in the age 7-10 division are:

1st Place: Dilara Yildiz
2nd Place: Elifsu Erdoan
3rd Place: Seray Chaimlar

Honorable mention: Alperen Kurt and Ersin Akin Ozdemir.

The winners of the 11-14 age division are:

1st Place: Metehan Aras
2nd Place: Beyza Bolat
3rd Place: Sula Tatlusu and Ejem Chomalak

Honorable mentions: Pelin Poyraz and Didem Sultan Yashar.

The winners of the American age 7-10 division are:

1st Place: Bailey Matsumura
2nd Place: Brianna Rei Wilson
3rd Place: Camille Enold

Honorable mentions: Amber Smith and Miranda Belles

After the award presentations, the adult narrators, Turkish air force Capt. Rehan Altunok and American Air Force 1st Lt. Jonathan Murphy, turned the emcee duties over to young adult emcees Merve Demir and Amber Smith, to narrate the rest of the program. The formal portion of the event concluded with a tree-planting ceremony where Colonel Kartepe assisted children in planting a tree in honor of the occasion.

"Wherever children go, they bring joy, love and energy with them, which is an often welcomed rest from the intensity of our stressful daily lives," said Lieutenant Murphy at the ceremony.